Your love for your “one and only” can be so strong to such an extent that people will help make the relationship succeed -- work out and last ‘eternally’. Your surroundings – (the people around you, your environment and all that influences you) will be held together even because of your love.

2. My beloved is gone down into his garden, to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, and to gather lilies.
She is not stunned. She has an idea. He has gone down into his garden! He has gone into his garden of love to prepare himself, to adequately equip himself with all the ‘love charms’. He has gone to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens, to possess vital skills in order for him to "knock at her door" and get through to all of her. He has gone to himself, to look within himself.

One needs to be matured in the realm of love. A sound education on issues pertaining to love, sex, marriage… is to be acquired ere one avails himself to the ‘sacred institution’. A wise person will not hurry into a relationship. He will not ‘hurry’ his love, his dove into yielding or participating in the relationship. Marriage is honorable. That which is honorable is not easily obtained on a platter of gold! Patience must be exercised. Patiently seek your bride for he that finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.

Prepare yourself. Don’t shy away from matters that pertain unto sex for someday, you’ll have to face them. Don’t think you’re being spiritual by ignoring sex. Someday soon, you’ll have to deal with it. Be well equipped and your spouse will enjoy your lilies.

3. I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine: he feeds among the lilies.
I love this woman! She understands the oneness that exists between her and her spouse. There is this oneness! “He that loves his wife loves himself.” And, "The woman who loves her husband, loves herself." Indeed they are one. She belongs to him; he belongs to her. She cannot do without him for in him, is her life. He is her all. He cannot do without her for in her, is his life. She is his all.

And guess what! Sex is a strong medium of expressing this oneness. Sex without the oneness experience is no sex at all! In love coupling (sexual embrace), a most profound reality is expressed: she is his love slave; he is her love slave.

I charge us to invest ourselves unreservedly into our love, our dove, and our undefiled. And this, to such an extent that a reality is established in our relationships: ‘he becomes her & she becomes him’. Patience, humility (all embedded in love) are needful here!

… he feeds among the lilies. He concentrates on all that will help foster a genuine relationship. He has come to understand that the union is special and sacred. Hence, he is careful not to lead his life immaturely. Notice that he initially approached her, knocked, waited and went away (for the door was not opened). He went away to learn. Definitely, he suffered ‘lover’s grief’ but this pays. For even in suffering – the pain of waiting, waiting for the right person, waiting for the right time to express love more intimately, waiting to be understood… HELPS one to grow up to meet his/her role effectively. He feeds upon his lilies. He receives sound education on matters concerning love, sacred loving, sacred sex, and the sacred relationship! He is made to be like a full-blown rose, ready for love.

“Wow! O man, O woman, the call cries with ecstatic vibrations; the sound of the rhythm ‘smooches’ smoothly. You are both welcomed. You are being beckoned unto. The language, the words, the voice says: “Come, immerse yourself in a wonderful union of joy. Come, engage in a dance, the dance of love. Move in & out of each other; up & down each other; and all over, all around each other. Move thru each other. Move, eat & drink.” And for those who choose to respond, hear this: a wonderful dance is about to begin!

4. You are beautiful, O my love, as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem, terrible as an army with banners.
He is overtaken by her beauty to such an extent he makes use of simile - as Tirzah, as Jerusalem. He opens his mouth and declares the impressions she stamps on his heart. He does not keep them to himself. He voices them out. And the more he does so, the greater his love for her becomes.

There is power in confessions. We see his confessions, proclamations, (and hers also) all through the Book – Song of Songs. Vital (not vain) repetitions are made. Confessions make the reality more real. It becomes clearer. You tend to understand more. He declares again: you are beautiful, O my love.

Always declare that your lover is beautiful. Make the declaration to yourself; make the declaration to him/her. Look beyond what is being made manifest presently. See more than you now see. Declare that he (she) is beautiful in all ramifications. Chip in words that portray such to him (her). Always tell yourself that he (she) is comely. Yes, the comeliest of all. Inform yourself that you are yet to enjoy more of him (her). For there are many sidedness to one’s beauty. Train up your mind!

Terrible as an army with banners. Yes, for she is a no nonsense person. She is disciplined, well groomed and orderly. She is so virtuous that she guards against anything that will spoil or hurt love. She is chiefly concerned about the security of the relationship. She hungers for sex not to be abused. Sex, when abused can hurt or spoil love. It may be premarital; it may also be lustful sex (in marriage), where a partner (spouse) is concerned about his (her) satisfaction only or mainly. This spouse is said to be selfish and inconsiderate. Act towards your spouse in much the same wonderful way you expect him (her) to act towards you.

5, 6. Turn away your eyes from me, for they have overcome me: your hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gilead: your teeth are as a flock of sheep, which go up from the washing, whereof every one bears twins, and there is not one missing among them.
The praises continue. The proclamation is endless. It’s easy to understand the woman that truly loves you if only you can discern her through her eyes. There is that quick glance, that lovely, gentle, soft, admiring, beckoning, tender and assuring look. Oh, what an eye-look! It is strong enough to cause you to bow down low to kiss her belly button!! It is powerful enough to cause you to surrender all to/for her for it (the eye-look) speaks of love. It craves for that special fellowship. It is ideal.

Her hair is rich. Her complete, clean teeth set portrays in his mind that she is complete and tidy, mature and inviting. …which go up from the washing. Let your mouth be always fresh. It is advisable to wash at least twice in a day -> morning and evening/night. Never abandon your mouth. Always have a fresh breath. A bad breath can be a strong turn-off.

… which go up from the washing. There is POWER in : “coming from the waters” people!

7, 8, 9. As a piece of a pomegranate are your temples (cheeks) behind your veil. There are threescore queens; and fourscore concubines, and virgins without number. My dove, my undefiled is but one; she is the only one of her mother, she is the choice one of her that bare her. The daughters saw her, and blessed her; yes, the queens and the concubines, and they praised her.
She sees him as the chiefest among ten thousand; he sees her as one among the countless virgins. She has captivated his heart. Beside her, there is no other. He is, at it were, lost in her. He is blind to the beauty of others – the daughters of Jerusalem. He is so assured of her greatness that he believes she is praised and admired by all. She is undefiled – she is pure, AT LEAST as far as he is concerned regardless of her past. She is the only one of her mother – Eve or womanhood. As far as he knows, she is the perfect product of womanhood. Never does he see her as a thing, a toy, or a plaything to be used… Rather, she is seen and respected as a woman, man’s ‘other self’.

10. Who is she that looks forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?
What a love! Love is deep, hard to be defined but can be easily noticed! We need to learn love. We need to understand more about love daily. Love has the capability of making two hearts one. Hence producing a lasting fellowship full of joy and even after “till death do us part” occurs, its effects, its memories linger on.

More similes come in play here – as the morning, moon, and sun. She’s bright and promising. She is cool, reserved, and calm. Under her umbrella, one finds comfort. Solace is under her arms. She’s got the softness of the moon. She has the fierceness of the sun for she’s terrible as an army with banners. A balance is created. Moon is balanced with sun.

She’s a complete woman. She is the total woman. Clear as the sun. Her ideas must not be neglected. Her contributions must be noted. With her God-given intuitive abilities, the man is sure to walk in safe paths.

Listen to your bride. She must be involved in the decision-making process. Rub minds together humbly, and patiently for two heads are better than one.

11, 12. I went down into the garden of nuts to see the fruits of the valley, and to see whether the vine flourished, and the pomegranates budded. Or ever I was aware, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib.
“I stooped down low and entered into her life, to understand her. Also, I tried to understand myself. I looked in to see how far we’ve been maturing; how much progress(es) each of us has made in our blissful union, our sweet relationship.

“I discovered some things… She is making progress; I am, also. I see that we’ve learnt to control our emotions, giving up the immature desires and feelings. We have learnt to cherish the ‘pain of waiting’, ‘the joy of suspense’.” There is a lot to learn here, even by those who are not yet married. The joy, happiness realized form ‘suffering’ due to the pain of waiting. Yes, waiting for the right time to go all the way. This produces much strength, confidence, fanning the love more into flames. Love matures; immaturity gives way. A ‘highly spirited’, peaceful, contented personality begins to materialize.

Behold, there exists a deep satisfaction in our hearts for we do put off (and are still learning to put off) the things that spoil or hurt love. We avoid the thorns and briers. As a result, my soul made me like the chariots of Amminadib. I was greatly glad. I have peace and rest of mind as my portion. I now operate at a high frequency.

There is great relief, healing and joy from a sound relationship. To achieve, one has to pay the price. So, pay the price, no matter what to achieve a soul like the chariots of Amminadib.

13. Return, return, O Shulamite; return, return, that we may look upon thee. What will you see in the Shulamite? As it were the company of two armies.
She is very vital. Her person is not to be treated lightly. She deserves his maximum respect for her personality commands respect everywhere. Never send your spouse into a shell. Ensure that she gives you the right thumbs up all the time. Win her heart over and over again, the number of years you’ve been together, notwithstanding. Always have her at heart, slack not in your love.

Return, return… The spirit behind this is that which desires her, which desires to continually see and have her as comely, loving and lovely as she’s always been, as she was when you first met. That we may look upon thee. Behold her as fresh as she was before your eyes in the early days. Look upon her and never lose sight. As it were, the company of two armies. Yes! For she is great. She is virtuous. She is all a woman needs to possess. She is a pillar.

- Trevor J.B. Simmons
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